Cards & Allen Craig reach agreement on multi-year deal

First baseman/outfielder signed thru 2017 with club option for 2018

JUPITER, Fla. - The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have reached agreement with first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig on a five-year contract through the 2017 season with a club option for 2018. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"We are pleased to have reached agreement with Allen on a new multi-year deal," stated Cardinals Senior Vice President/General Manager John Mozeliak. "He has been a productive middle of the lineup hitter throughout his professional career and we look forward to Allen's continued contributions."

Craig, 28, has been a key contributor to the middle of the Cardinals lineup, driving in 150 runs in his 238 games played at the Major League level. Craig batted .307 last season (6th in the National League) and despite missing the early portion of the season while he recovered from off-season knee surgery, was still able to collect 22 home runs and 92 RBI with a .522 slugging pct. in 119 games.

Craig led all Major Leaguers with a .400 batting mark with runners in scoring position in 2012 and over the past two seasons, his .374 (68-for-182) batting average with runners in scoring position ranks 2nd only to Joey Votto (.379) of the Reds among all Major League players.

Craig enjoyed a stellar postseason during the Cardinals 2011 World Championship run, hitting four home runs, including three during the World Series. His three game-winning RBI during the 2011 Series tied an MLB record held by Kiki Cuyler (1925) and Hank Greenberg (1945).

Selected by the Cardinals in the 8th round of the June 2006 draft out of the University of California-Berkeley, Craig has compiled a .300 batting mark with 37 homers and 150 RBI in 238 games since making his big league debut in 2010.